The major objective of this proposal is to test the hypothesis, Validity of Self-expectation is an increasing monotonic function of developmental level. Human-motivation theories typically assume individuals anticipate their behavior outcomes. It is further assumed that the nature of these expectations is determined by an individual's previous experiences. On the other hand, psychologists have demonstrated that the expectations and behaviors of children reflect a tendency toward unrealism or more specifically, hedonism. If the objectivity with which experiences are assessed is a function of development it follows that the validity of expectations is likewise a developmental function. Confirmation of this may seriously challenge the generalizability of established motivation models--especially for young children. Using 1st, 3rd, and 5th graders, elicited expectations on a given task will be compared with prefabricated feedback on preceding related tasks. The resulting discrepancy will serve as a measure of Validity of Expectation--a high degree of validity will be reflected by a low discrepancy.